Caring for an Akita dog during pregnancy is basically common sense. She must be carefully watched and made to feel as comfortable and happy as possible. You must ensure that she has dry bedding, plenty of clean drinking water, and regular good quality food. For the first five weeks she will probably behave quite normally. She can have the days “off” from her. She may be hungrier. She may show a slight change in temperament and be more careful about her behavior, but as long as she’s obviously healthy and happy, that’s all that matters.

As soon as you suspect she’s pregnant, it’s a good idea to contact your vet so she can record the expected due date in her diary and monitor the dog’s progress. Akitas do not carry much water with their puppies, however there will be a considerable amount of weight to carry as the weeks go on. In general, it is not recommended to give him a lot of extra food in the first few weeks. Experience has taught us that overloading a bitch with food will increase the weight of her puppies, and she will also gain weight. This causes two problems. First of all, she won’t exercise as well and therefore won’t keep her muscles toned. Second, the puppies will be fat, which means they will be larger and will experience a more difficult passage through the birth canal. And when they are born, they will be fat and lazy.

It’s much better to have an active mother and lean, vigorous puppies, who will fight to get to the teats to fill up on that all-important first milk from the mother. We have found that the best policy is to feed a balanced diet with an increase in food after about five weeks. Naturally, the mom-to-be will be Hungarian, but rest assured that any food you give her from her will be passed on to her unborn babies before she takes it herself. She is a natural at taking care of parents. Additives in the form of calcium and perhaps iron are a good idea, again after the five week period. These days, most foods are carefully balanced and numerous additives are not needed. In fact, the general opinion is that they can do more harm than good. But if the dog suggests that she may have a deficiency, she should take her to the vet for proper testing and analysis.

Akita bitches “hide” their puppies very well up to at least five weeks, more often six. They may not show any signs that they are pregnant, and this can be extremely upsetting to owners, who obviously want to know if they are expecting a litter so they can make the necessary preparations. Probably the best indication is swelling of the bitch’s nipples. Starting at three weeks, these may “pop”, or slightly enlarge and become more pink in appearance. In our experience, this is the only “safe” sign. Ultrasound scanning can also give a definitive diagnosis, but this is expensive and sometimes hair must be removed from the side or underside of the bitch.

Your dog may show signs of rib thickening at or much earlier, but this is highly unlikely. Akita Inu female dogs do not generally carry their babies across their distance like most breeds. They hide them under the ribs and then “drop” them and carry them in the womb, like a cow carrying her calf. Whether you see positive signs or not, it’s wise to contact your vet and note the expected due date in your diary so it’s available if needed.

Seven weeks into the pregnancy, introduce the bitch to her whelping site. A suitable sized box should be prepared and the absolute minimum measurements for this would be approximately 4ft 6in by 3ft. This will allow the dog to lie fully stretched out on her side. The box can certainly be larger, but not so large as to allow the pups to wander away from their mother and get lost. Make sure the dog is happy with the crate and its position. After a few days, she will welcome the peace, quiet and solitude of this area, accepting it as the natural place to give birth. If she is not happy, you must give in to her and make other arrangements. She probably has a good reason for not wanting things the way you do. So listen to her and adjust. She can accept the box and then on the day of delivery, she changes her mind and wants to go somewhere else. Again, you must give in to her request. She can go back to the crate after she has had her first pup, but let her decide. It’s worth all the fuss to have a happy, satisfied female dog that successfully overcomes her pregnancy and safely gives birth to her puppies, without causing you, or herself, any undue anxiety.